Iran's chief negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, told Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir during talks in Tehran on Saturday that the US is not an honest party in negotiations to end the war, and Iran will not compromise on its national rights, state television reports, according to UNN citing Reuters.
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Regional mediation efforts led by Pakistan are aimed at narrowing the differences between Iran and the US after weeks of war that left the vital Strait of Hormuz waterway closed to most vessels, despite a tense ceasefire that has destabilized global energy markets.
Iranian state media reported that Munir also met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in the presence of Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with whom he held two meetings before flying out of the country.
The talks reportedly focused on a 14-point document proposed by Iran, which it considers the primary basis for discussions, and messages exchanged between the two sides.
Qalibaf stated that Iran would pursue its "legitimate rights" both on the battlefield and through diplomacy, but added that it could not trust a "party that has no honesty at all" – a claim Iran has made several times before.
He said that Iran's armed forces had restored their capabilities during the truce and that if the United States "foolishly resumes the war," the consequences would be "stronger and more bitter" than at the start of the conflict.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that the United States had seen some progress toward reaching a deal but that further work was needed, while Iran's Foreign Ministry said differences remain deep and significant.
US claims "slight progress" in talks with Iran amid limbo over the deal22.05.26, 15:58
Despite weeks of conflict, Iran has maintained its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium, as well as missile and drone capabilities and proxy groups that the United States and Israel say they seek to limit.